The United States federal government passed a nearly $1 trillion relief package that sent three stimulus checks to households across the country in an attempt to support families through the coronavirus pandemic. But as going back to normal daily life is still far off, many are wondering when a fourth stimulus check could be distributed.
While many lawmakers have revealed they do not support passing a fourth stimulus check, some states are doing what they can to support their residents financially. Low-income households, teachers, and some specific residents can expect to receive some sort of payment in various regions across the country.
Stimulus Payments in Several States
Starting this month, direct aid from different states will reach more than 25 million people that will be given stimulus funds or surpluses to help pay for necessities. The situation comes at a time when many households have already used up all their money from the third stimulus checks that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) started distributing in March.
Another problem that would severely impact jobless residents is the end of the unemployment benefits on Sept. 6. The deadline would cut off about 7.5 million American workers from receiving recurring payments, CBS News reported.
California residents are expecting what state lawmakers call the Golden State Stimulus, which distributes payments of up to $1,100 to the region's nearly 25 million population. The relief package will begin distribution on Aug. 27 and will prioritize low- and middle-income families. It's already the second stimulus check that state officials have passed.
Low- to moderate-income residents in Maryland can receive $300 to $500 stimulus checks. However, only those who have claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) on their tax returns are eligible for the additional payments. The amount that households can receive depends on certain income thresholds.
Florida teachers, on the other hand, have been approved to receive $1,000 bonuses by Gov. Ron DeSantis since earlier this year. The payments will go to more than 170,000 educators and principals in the region's K-12 public schools and public charter schools. The total funds for the payments come from a $216 million federal stimulus package.
Crimes Related to Stimulus Money
Amid the number of outgoing payments, there are many criminals trying to scam people out of their money by getting their personal information. The IRS conducted an investigation after it received a record number of complaints about the scams in June and July, KSBY reported.
The scammers imitate legitimate IRS messages through text messages or email to try to get taxpayers to enter their personal information or make a payment. Some of the scams tell taxpayers they are eligible for a stimulus payment and fill up a form to get their money.
In a similar incident, a former Lynn Postal carrier was arrested and charged for allegedly stealing stimulus payments and other mail. The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Angela Gomez, was sentenced on Thursday to three months in prison and three years of supervised release. She reportedly stole nearly $5,000 worth of stimulus payments, made over $16,000 worth of fraudulent purchases and ATM withdrawals. Gomez pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by an employee in May, NBC Boston reported.
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